Khyra Ishaq

The full text of statement by the chair of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board following their review of operational practice, in the wake of the death of Khyra Ishaq, can be read here, courtesy of the Guardian, February 25, 2010.

Nature builds resilience

Harrison, T., (2010). Lessons from the natural world. Special Children, Feb/March 2010, pp. 18-20. Harrison is one of a team from Camphill School, Aberdeen, running the Nature Nurture project, which aims to build the resilience of young children from families affected by alcohol/substance misuse, poverty or domestic violence, though play in the natural world. Find it at Jordanhill serials 371.9.

Children looked after statistics 2008-2009

This statistical report has been published online by the Scottish Executive, collating for returns for each individual looked after child, for the first time, from all 32 authorities.

Social work after Baby P

Eleanor Brazil, working as interim deputy director of social work in Haringey Council explains how change has been implemented to rebuild confidence since the Baby P scandal. See Guardian February 24, 2010. Changes included establishing multi-agency teams, staff recruitment and reorganisation of referral and assessement processes.
A poll carried out by the General Social Care Council has found that most social workers beleive that newly social workers lack key skills in risk assessment vital to ensuring the safety of children and vulnerable adults. Respondents backed the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force, that  an assessed year in employemet post training is essential to building a confident and experienced workforce.

Localism & employee stakeholding in public services

Today NESTA (National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts) publish a report, Blond, P. (2010). The ownership state: restoring excellence, innovation and ethos to the public services. This document advocates the restrucuring of public services, with radical flattening of managment structures and power and decision making devolved downwards to those with an intimate knowledge of the front line delivery of services. See also Guardian February 23, 2010 on how this new model has enabled greater localism and social enterprises to deliver community and health improvement.

Forced Child migration

This week Gordon Brown will formally apologise on behalf of the British state for the forced migration of children, some orphaned, but many separated from their parents for social or economic reasons, to former Brtiish colonies in a period which ended as recently as 1967. An article in the Guardian, February 20, 2010 looks a the work of the Child Migrants' Trust, which offers suport to the victims of forced migration.

Mental health services for looked after children

Ofsted have published a report, An Evaluation of the provision of mental health services for looked after young popel over the age of 16 accomodated in residential settings. The report draws on visits to 27 children's homes across 8 local authorities.